Monday, January 04, 2010

Recklessness among northern and southern whites

Figure 1. Fatal gun accidents

As a follow-up to the last post on racial differences in recklessness, I generated a map of fatal gun accident (FGA) rates by state. On many behaviors (e.g., violence, IQ, and education) southern whites seem to be between northern whites and non-Asian minorities (NAMs).

You can see from the map that the highest rates of FGAs among whites are concentrated in the non-coastal southern states. Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana--big hunting states--are the exceptions. According to the General Social Survey (GSS), the highest percentage of people who hunt are those who live in the mountain states.

High hunting rates might help explain the high FGA levels in the South, but people are just as likely to hunt in the north central region of the country (GSS), and their FGA rates are low.

Might also be in the reporting. Maybe some states are more willing to call a shooting an "accident" while others would not. I don't know of course, but it makes me wonder. I have heard of people complaining that certain liberal cities rule more deaths suicides. It would be interesting to see if there really is a pattern of more suicides vs. homicides as well as accidents vs. homicides. That is what percent of fatal shootings are ruled suicide, homicide or accident and does it vary by region.

Profile

"The creation myth was the essential bond that held the tribe together. It provided its believers with a unique identity, commanded their fidelity, strengthened order, vouchsafed law, encouraged valor and sacrifice, and offered meaning to the cycles of life and death. No tribe could survive long without the meaning of its existence defined by a creation story. The option was to weaken, dissolve, and die." ~ E.O. Wilson